DAP leaders today scoffed at the seat allocation on the proposed Parliamentary select committee on electoral reform, saying it is not necessary to have an independent MP on the panel.

They said the composition of MPs on the nine-member panel – five from BN, three from Pakatan Rakyat and one independent – would only favour the BN since most of the independent members of the Dewan Rakyat support the ruling coalition.

Klang MP Charles Santiago (right) said the line-up was “not acceptable”, stressing that it would be more balanced to have equal representation between Pakatan and BN and for the committee to have one co-chair from either side. He also urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to give his “guarantee” that no elections are called until the committee is done with its work and its recommendations are adopted.

“@najibrazak needs to guarantee no PRU 13 b4 PSC electoral reforms recommendations are implemented. o/wise PSC smokescreen n PR exercise,” he said in a series of tweets.

Malaysia’s Parliament is ‘weak’

Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran questioned the need for an independent MP on committee, which, he stressed, should convene now and not wait until the start of the next Parliamentary meeting.

“Based on composition alone, there should be more representatives from Pakatan Rakyat from three as proposed,” he said, adding that while he welcomed the move, he hoped that the Parliament and public would not be hoodwinked by its formation.

“I am also worried as the Parliament (system) as it is now is structurally weak. I have seen many times the speaker play a role which is subservient to the executive. I am worried the PSC may turn into that.”

Manogaran (left) said the members of the PSC should look at and enforce the demands made by Bersih 2.0 and also the recommendations made by Suhakam in its 2007 report, as both are overlapping demands.

He also urged the formation of a royal commission of inquiry to investigate into allegations of foreigners being given identity cards as he had come across two cases of foreigner given ICs and asked to vote for Barisan Nasional in Penang.

“This shows that this is happening and an RCI should be formed or the PSC should look into this immediately,” he said, adding that Malaysian overseas should also be allowed to cast their votes in line with exercising with their democratic right.

EC must change its mindset

DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke, meanwhile, told off the Election Commission, saying the panel has no business in deciding the make-up of the committee.

Loke acknowledged that the committee is open only to MPs, but stressed that it would still need to get feedback from the public and civil society groups such as Bersih 2.0 to make sure the committee’s recommendations would cover the interests of all Malaysians.

“If non-governmental organisations, especially Bersih (2.0), are not included in the committee’s consultation process, the formation of the committee would be meaningless.

“The EC needs to shift their paradigm in (thinking that) the electoral system only involves political parties and politicians. The electoral system involves every citizen and all parties should work together to create a clean and fair electoral system that would spearhead a mature democracy.”